Teen charged with threats made online

MINDEN -- A Douglas High School student has been arrested on suspicion of threatening to shoot specific classmates, authorities said.

The 16-year-old boy, whose name was not released, is accused of making the threats on his MySpace.com page.

The student was arrested Thursday after the case was brought to the attention of school officials, Douglas County sheriff's Sgt. Jim Halsey said.

"Several students had contacted school officials and advised them that a fellow student had made threatening statements about perpetrating violence at the school," Halsey told Gardnerville's Record-Courier newspaper.

He said the MySpace page was accessed and the student was contacted.

While deputies found no weapons on him or in his vehicle, there were guns in his family's home about 50 miles south of Reno, he added.

"This appears to be an isolated incident, and the lone student involved in making the threats is currently in custody," Halsey said.

Principal Marty Swisher said the school was not evacuated because of the quick response by deputies and the nature of the threat. "We're still continuing to investigate the situation, but we can't comment on specifics," Swisher said.

Sheriff Ron Pierini advised parents to monitor their children's access to MySpace and similar Web sites.

"Monitor appropriate conduct and statements, and please report to authorities any hazardous or potentially dangerous threats, statements or activities," Pierini said.

Halsey said the suspect's parents were cooperating in the investigation.